The Catalyst Rewrite
by Kisuke17Night
Summary: Ed doesnt trade his alchemy but his life. But he doesnt die either no he ends up falling from the sky and landing on a 17 year old Itachi who was gearing up to fight Kakashi. THIS IS A REWRITE OF MY STORY THE CATALYST I WILL BE UPDATING IT HERE NOW AND CHANGING SOME OF THE PREVIOUS CHAPTERS.
1. Chapter 1

**Far From Home- Five Finger Death Punch-**

**All the places I've been and things I've seen  
A million stories that made up a million shattered dreams  
The faces of people I'll never see again  
And I can't seem to find my way home**

As the idea hit him Ed drew the transmutation circle. The one he knew by memory at this point, the one that would surely save Al.

"This is my last act as the Fullmetal Alchemist."

He didn't lie as he pounded his hands into the earth, and started the cycle. Ed had no idea if he would be back. He just hoped Al would understand as an older brother Ed couldn't let this happen to him. Not because of him. Not because of what Ed had forced him to do all those years ago. And not after they were so close to both being free, and normal again.

As he was pulled, and arrived at the doors Ed stood tall. Feeling odd as he still adjusted to his flesh and blood arm, and not the slight heaviness of metal and gears.

The blank child, Truth, the guardian of the Gate grinned at him.

"Have you come for your brother?"

It asked tauntingly.

"But how will you pull a whole person out? What is the payment? Will you offer up your own body?"

Ed hated its condescending voice, and steeled his face.

"Not just my life. My time. I give it to Al, all of it. My time and memories I'm giving it up for Alphonse. I trade everything for him."

For a moment the human like creature frowned and then that annoying grin broke out again.

"I think your arm will be just enough more to make it even."

Ed glanced longingly at his newly whole again arm. He couldn't help thinking it was worth it. He sort of liked his automail anyway if he left himself think about it the mechanism had grown on him.

"It's his then."

The Gates opened behind the blank child, and he stood to wave Ed through.

"Good-bye Fullmetal Alchemist."

When he jumped into the void of knowledge Ed heard the fading call of Alphonse.

"Brother!"

Ed turned over, and smiled at his brothers vanishing figure. He had done it. This was it.

Or so he thought.

One moment Edward is plunging deep into the void, and then he's free falling, looking up at a very familiar metal arm, and a crystal blue sky.

Of course the free falling didn't last long, since he crashed into something that felt a lot like a person, and then sank heavily into some kind of water. A lake, pond, maybe even the ocean if he was that unlucky. All Ed knew was that he pulled the person down with him, and as he gasped for air, his lungs filled with water instead. Within no time Edward was unconscious and had no doubt that he would drown to death.

All Ed could think was he just felt bad for the sorry bastard he pulled down too.

Itachi expected the words Kakashi said to his comrades.

"Both of you close your eyes now!"

As they did Kakashi closed his own eye that didn't hold the Sharingan, and Itachi got ready to trap him in his tsukiyomi. Or so he thought, before a thing with blonde hair and black clothes fell on top of him. As Itachi attempted to stay above the water he missed the arm made of steel that collided with his head. It was hard and Itachi had no prep time to react meaning the metal limb knocked him out.

Kakashi didn't know whether to laugh at his dumb luck or cry in relief. He knew a fight against Itachi Uchiha, boy genius who took out his own clan wouldn't end well. So the boy from the sky must have been a God sent.

While Asuma distracted Kisame who tried to jump to Itachi's aid, Kakashi dropped his chakra and dove under to pull the boy and Itachi up. They both seemed unconscious by the time Kakashi got a hold of them and pulled them both up. He looked around hastily for Asuma and Kurenai and spotted Gai fighting Kisame instead. Before he could call out to his, he would never admit it, friend Kurenai popped up and helped Kakashi drag them to solid land.

Kakashi smiled behind his mask as Kurenai dropped Itachi a little hard onto the ground. She pumped his chest a few times and the unconscious teen spit up all the water he had sucked into his lungs. The blonde kid had already hacked up all the water, and was now just dry heaving next o Kakashi.

His clothes were torn to shreds, black pants, and shirt. No forehead protector, that Kakashi could see at least. He had blonde hair, obviously, that was braided, and messy looking. From what Kakashi had seen his eyes were golden, and he guessed his age somewhere around sixteen.

But the one thing his eyes were instantly drawn to was the very exposed mechanical looking arm.

Kakashi gave the guy a few more minutes of empting his stomach, and lungs. Half because he felt sorry for guy but mainly cause it sort of grossed him out.

When the kid stopped and looked up to Kakashi the Jonin helped him stand and then held his hands behind his back.

"Not this again."

He muttered, and Kakashi smiled.

"I don't know what you were trying to do but as of right now you're a suspicious person and I have to report you to Tsunade."

Ed sighed. He always ended up in these situations. Just when he thought he did something right and died for his brother he got thrown into another country, dimension, world. He didn't really know just yet.

"Can I at least get dried up?"

As he looked back to see Kakashi's face his eyes made contact with the Sharingan and Kakashi very easily put him to sleep.

"Was that really necessary Kakashi?"

Gai asked as he came up to stand next to him.

"Kisame?"

He asked. Gai shook his head.

"He took off. I thought it'd be better if I was here when-"

As he was talking Kakashi passed out.

"You did just this."

Gai caught his friend, and Asuma picked up an unconscious Edward. Kurenai glared halfheartedly at the men.

"What am I supposed to do with Itachi Uchiha?"

As the words were said two ANBU showed up.

"We have orders to obtain Itachi Uchiha and take him directly to ROOTs headquarters."

One of them spoke. Asuma shook his head.

"You can't take him, he might know who this boy is. We have to take them to the Hokage then she can decide what to do with them. Until then you can help us carry him to her office."

The ANBU looked reluctant to let their orders be over ruled, but followed the Jonin to the Hokage's tower. When they arrived both Ed and Itachi had their hands chained by the guards, and Itachi was blindfolded. Before they even entered the Hokage's office the ANBU took Itachi's cloak, and any weapon they could find off of him.

"He is disarmed now."

One of them said and Kurenai opened the door to let the men in. Gai paused, and then waved to them.

"I will give the Hokage my report later I'm going to drop Kakashi off at the hospital first."

The others nodded in understanding and Gai flashed out of there in a green blur. Tsunade stood as they all walked into her office. A look of anger and confusion on her face.

"What's the meaning of this?"

She asked.

"We, Kakashi, I and Kurenai encountered Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki. There was a fight, and during the fight this boy-"

He held Ed up as if showing her why he had the blonde.

"Fell from the sky and landed on Itachi. They fell into the lake we were standing on and began to drown. Kakashi pulled him out and Itachi has not regained consciousness. This boy did though and Kakashi used his Sharingan to knock him out. The ANBU arrived and we reported straight to you. Gai took Kakashi to the hospital because he collapsed due to over use of his Sharingan."

Tsunade sat at her desk and frowned. This wasn't something she wanted to happen so shortly after becoming Hokage.

"Take them both to holding cells. And watch them closely, call me when one of them regains consciousness."

They nodded and as they all turned to leave Tsunade stopped them.

"Wait."

Pausing they all turned to look at her.

"ANBU you are dismissed, and tell Danzo not to stick his nose into my business unless asked."

The men seemed to take the words offensively but left nonetheless. Once they were gone Tsunade walked over to Itachi and ran a hand through his wet, and bloody hair.

"He's been injured. His head is bleeding."

She started to heal the wound and wondered what could have caused such an injury. Tsunade looked around at some of the Jonin he had been fighting and they looked worse than he did. It was when she really looked at this new person that she noticed the mechanical arm.

She finished healing the Uchiha and narrowed her eyes at the blonde boy.

"Tell me the moment he awakens. I have a lot of questions for this boy who fell from the sky."

With that they left. Tsunade collapsed into her desk chair and sighed.

"What is happening to this village?"

She asked out loud.


	2. Chapter 2

**These Walls- Trapt-**

**Like clockwork**

**I commit the crime**

**I pretend to be**

**Everything they like**

**I've been here before**

**I've seen you before**

Edward and Itachi were taken to the holding cells where Asuma used one of the block hand cuffs on each of them. He left Itachi blindfolded, and bound both their feet in similar wooden blocks.

As he closed the heavy wooden, and metal door, and sighed tiredly. Looking at the two teens in the cells. They were so young. How could things like this happen to the youth of this world? Itachi was seventeen, and the blonde boy looked about the same. For all they knew he was part of the Akatsuki too.

Asuma leaned against the wall and waved the guard, trailing his every move, away. He could watch two unconscious teens and send a messenger to Lady Tsunade when one of them woke up. He just hoped they didn't get up at the same time. Now that would be a mess, and he knew it.

As Asuma was dozing off slightly a few hours later the blonde boy woke up thrashing and then sat up to meet Asuma's worried gaze.

"Where am I?"

He asked. Asuma had put out his cigarette and held his hand up to halt the on slaughter of questions. The blonde boy glared at him, but kept his mouth shut. Asuma nodded for the guard to get Tsunade, and Ed looked around his cell. Then his eyes landed on the unconscious Itachi across the room from him and he frowned.

"What happened to him?"

He asked and Asuma smirked, as he lit up another cigarette.

"You."

Ed winced as he realized that must have been the person he landed on when he, well truthfully he didn't know exactly what happened. Edward remembered jumping into the Truth and then the sky before hitting someone and then the water. A spike a pain flashed through his head and Ed vaguely remembered a gray haired man with a mask pulling him from the water. Then just nothing. Squinting through the pain in his head to the still unconscious teen across from him Ed was a little concerned.

"He gonna be okay?"

Asuma shrugged, and Tsunade stormed into the dark corridor.

"Which one is it?"

She asked Asuma at the same time glaring at Ed.

"This one."

Ed replied. Slowly getting ticked off that he was not only bound and caged, but being looked at like he was some sort of criminal.

Well it definitely wouldn't be the first time. He thought bitterly to himself. In fact back home it happened so often he was starting to believe he was a criminal. Man if Al could see him now. The thought of his brother made him somber up. His anger slowly fading. Would he ever get to see Al again? Would Ed ever see anyone he loved from back home, or hell anyone he even knew?

"Has he tried anything since he awoken?"

She asked briskly.

"Hello, I'm right here?"

Ed spoke up.

"Do not talk unless spoken to."

Tsunade barked at him. Ed was suddenly reminded why women were so scary. She had stomped her foot and left a dent in the floor where her heel was.

"Yes ma'am."

Ed said timidly. He began to draw a transmutation circle in the dust on the floor, and got ready to escape. These people didn't seem like the type to listen to reason.

Tsunade looked at the boy in the cell then to Itachi in his. He looked the same. Black tattered clothes, his once braided blonde hair messy, gold eyes, and a mechanical arm.

"Now what is your name?"

He looked tame, but his eyes burned with passion, and possibly anger.

"Edward Elric."

What an odd name. The Hokage couldn't help but think, his clothes seemed strange too at least what was left of them. He wasn't wearing sandals, but leather shoes with thick soles. Not to mention his mechanical limb that still puzzled the woman to no bounds. With all of her medical knowledge Tsunade herself had no idea how to use mechanics to replace a missing limb or organ.

"Where are you from? What Village or Country?"

His face became guarded and he countered with an question of his own.

"Where am I?"

"Konoha. The Village Hidden in the Leaves."

The obvious confusion on his face was surprising to her. Tsunade didn't let it show on her face and cleared her throat to draw his attention back to her.

"You didn't answer my question."

His eyes narrowed and he sat up straighter. That was when Tsunade saw he had been drawing something that looked like a bunch of random circles and lines. For a moment she was distracted by what he started to say.

There was no way of explaining he wasn't even from this world. Edward had no idea where he was except that it was called Konoha. And that he had definitely never heard of it before, or seen it on a map.

"I'm a traveler."

It was the easiest thing to explain without going into serious detail of his origins.

"My men tell me you fell from the sky and landed on S-Rank criminal Itachi Uchiha while some of my Jonin were engaged in battle with him."

Ed tiled his head. He had no idea what S-Rank was but there was no faking he knew the word criminal. And this Itachi person must be the guy knocked out in the cell across from him. Finding out he was a criminal made Ed feel a little less guilty about nearly drowning the other teen.

"Well if you mean that guy, then yeah I guess I did."

She followed his pointed hand and then froze. Confused Edward looked over to him as well and saw that the other teen was waking up. Unlike how he had awoken this person rolled onto his feet and stood, even chained up and blindfolded looking more than ready for a fight. That moment when Tsunade and Asuma turned expecting Itachi to attack was when Ed escaped.

Ed was out of his binds and out a hole he blasted in the wall within seconds. Itachi even blindfolded could sense the power surge and then the explosion that followed. He waited for an attack but when nothing happened moved to the bars he knew confined him.

"Get him!"

Tsunade yelled out. Itachi didn't even try to imagine what was going on at this point. It was obvious someone had escaped the only real question was how dangerous they were. Maybe he would get lucky and this escaped prisoner would be enough of a distraction for himself to escape. Thinking it over Itachi thought about it. He might be able to get away from Tsunade, and Asuma, but once they sent the ANBU after him, well Itachi didn't think he would be so lucky. At this point he was already low on chakra and Kisame wasn't around either for back up. This didn't seem like the best situation to be in at the moment.

Plus being bound was never a lot of fun, or worked to someone's advantage let alone Itachi's. So he tried to think of a better plan. Didn't take much once he started listening to Tsunade panic and bark orders out.

"You better catch him! If he was able to get out of here with all the chakra suppressers infused into the walls this shouldn't have been possible."

The last part of that Itachi guessed she was talking to someone close to her. He could sense her chakra and the other ninja next to her. There were many other people for a few seconds and then they left in the direction of the blast from moments ago.

"Tsunade, I had heard you were the current Hokage."

Itachi could hear her and the other ninja turn around so quickly he wondered if they had used chakra. Then his senses heightened as he activated his Sharingan underneath the blindfold. The buildings walls should have been infused with chakra suppressors making it impossible for him to even attempt to use his eyes. The blast must have shattered the seals. Within seconds of realizing this Itachi knew exactly what to do. Forcing all of his chakra to his wrist and breaking the bonds easily.

"Asuma!"

Tsunade yelled as she charged the bars herself. The Jonin dashed out of the building and started gathering any ninja close by. Most had run off after the blonde teen and sadly it was working out perfectly for Itachi now. He was already removing his blindfold as he dodged Tsunade's deadly fist. She hadn't waited for a key to the cell, instead she busted the bars and attacked the dark haired teen.

Itachi side stepped her next flurry of attacks to flash step behind her.

"I don't really have time to deal with you today Hokage-sama."

She didn't have time to react as he hit her pressure point in her neck, effectively knocking the older woman out.

He had burned up too much energy and chakra before while fighting the Jonin. Itachi wouldn't last long, he had to avoid as many fights as possible at this point. He was out the hole in the wall in seconds and headed to his appointed meeting point with Kisame just outside of the village.

Hopefully the others were too busy chasing the other escapee to notice him.

Ed knew escaping from the cells was a long shot. Where there was a jail there was usually people to put you back in it. And these people fought more like Ling and his men than Ed would have liked. They were faster than he could see so he had to rely on pure instinct to avoid their attacks. Which seemed to be a combination of throwing knives and elemental attacks. It looked a lot like alchemy and since Ed now knew that worked in this world he decided to put his skills and theirs to the test.

At the moment he had three men in white painted masks closest to him. They were elite he could tell since he hadn't been able to shake them yet and their attacks were coming on almost faster than he could dodge.

Coming to a quick stop Ed used his automail arm as a blockade for the men rushing him. Just as the man was about to hit it he stopped short and grabbed the mechanical limb. The hard metal must have shocked him as he hesitated for a split second. Giving Ed enough of an opening to clap his hands together and slam his palm to the masked face, Scar style, and shattered the item. With the porcelain literally exploding in the man's face he fell back losing his footing on the roof they had stopped on. That was when the other two caught up to Ed and their fallen companion.

This happened to be the moment Itachi caught up to them. His rendezvous point with Kisame was in the western woods in the same direction Ed had taken off in. He had already slipped past the others in pursuit of the other teen and was hoping by being lower to the ground the ANBU engaged with the other wouldn't notice him. Though when had Itachi's luck ever been that good.

"Itachi Uchiha!"

There was a fallen ANBU on the ground a few feet away from him. It was Itachi's mistake assuming the man had been unconscious or dead. Now he was screaming to the others who paused in attacking the other escapee.

It was all just too perfect when the other teen jumped down from the rooftops to land near Itachi. It was the first real look Itachi had gotten of the teen. He was slightly shorter than himself, with long braided blonde hair, and a metallic right arm. It was all Itachi could catch as the blonde ran past him. Itachi was slightly shocked but then realized what the other had done. He had just led the ANBU right to where Itachi was. Both men came charging at him, attacking simultaneously.

There wasn't enough time to avoid confrontation with the two ANBU so Itachi braced for the attack as he activated his Sharingan once again that day. One of the men was unfortunately too late to avoid his gaze and fell into a genjutsu instantly. The other had flash stepped out of his path and Itachi turned quickly to where the ANBU had repositioned to. Before the kunai aimed at Itachi could reach him, he connected his fist with the masked nin's stomach. This forced the ANBU back enough for Itachi to knock him down and rip his mask off. The ANBU had squeezed his eyes shut in a hope of not being caught in Itachi's genjutsu but the Uchiha punched him repeatedly until the man's eyes flew open in pain. It was then that he used his Sharingan to trap him in the ninja's own personal hell.

Itachi left the ANBU on the ground and took off towards the woods. He knew transforming would make it easier to get out of the village but he didn't want to waste that kind of chakra. Instead he poured more into his legs to speed up, and quickly caught up with the blonde haired teen.

"Hey! I figured you'd keep them busy for longer!"

He yelled cheerily to Itachi. The Uchiha was tempted to attack the blonde as well for leading those ANBU to him before but decided against wasting the effort if the other wasn't going to attack him. Instead he ignored him as he got closer to the woods. It was then that an all too familiar chakra signature closed in on him, quicker than he would have assumed possible for the other.

It brought Itachi to a complete stop as he turned around to face the new comer.

"Come to see me off little brother?"

He asked mockingly to a seething Sasuke Uchiha.


	3. Chapter 3

_This Chapter is where I will be slightly deviating from the original Catalyst. Some of it will still be the same but after this chapter I expect it to be completely different from the original. _

**Thousand Foot Krunch-**

**Hate  
Is Only what You Say  
Not What you Mean  
And Pain  
Is What's inside of Me**

Ed had been tempted to stop and see what was going on but the thought of getting caught kept him from doing so.

Leaving Itachi to deal with Sasuke alone.

Ed could see the forest line in view and knew it would only be a matter of time before he reached it. Then he sensed them. There was someone closing in on him, and they were moving fast. By the time he knew it they were there in front of him. Or at least he thought it was a person. The man was older, with long white hair and like everyone else there he was wearing strange clothing.

"I think they've let you get far enough kid!"

The old man yelled as he stood in the way of Ed's path.

"I don't think so old man."

Ed grumbled as he charged at the man, putting more speed into the motion. He faked to the left and made a quick jump to the right at the last second. What he hadn't been expecting was the older man moving so fast. Ed was grabbed by the back of his already messed up shirt and slammed into the ground. He gasped for a second on impact but regained his bearings before the white haired man could hit him again, and rolled out of reach. Or so he thought.

"That's some skill there kid."

The man commented as he appeared in Ed's path once again. The teen had to catch himself before slamming into him.

"Thanks."

Ed skidded on the ground for a moment before flipping himself over and back to his feet.

"Look I don't know what you people think I did but I sure as hell haven't done anything wrong yet!"

Ed yelled to the man who laughed.

"From what I saw on my way here I'd say you've done quite a bit already."

Thinking back Ed did see what he meant. After blowing up the prison wall he had taken out a few of those masked guys before that Itachi guy caught up with him. That guy was like a magnet to these people chasing them, they all seemed to swarm to him wherever he was. Not like Ed himself was any better at avoiding trouble it seemed.

As Ed dodged blows by the skin of his teeth he got an idea and the slow smirk that over took his features concerned Jiraiya to no end.

"Old man I hate to break it to you but this fight is over."

While landing back onto the ground after jumping to avoid what would have been a nasty blow to the face, Ed slammed his hands into the ground just as Jiraiya landed too. The paved road enclosed its self over the older man's body, without so much as blinking Ed was off. Running faster than he had been before the fight, hoping and praying to any higher power he refused to believe in would hold the white haired man in his trap long enough for him to reach at least the tree line. He could use the elements to his advantage, his height (Which he refused to admit to anyone but himself) would help him hide in smaller places and climb faster than he hoped the older man could.

Judging by the way that white haired man was able to keep up with Ed speed wise and that his punches and hits hurt more than you thought they would, hope was going to become Ed's thing for the moment. There wasn't much more he could do in the situation, seeing as how this guy's looks didn't match his skills.

Ed proved himself right as he nearly reached the fence that separated him from the woods when a presence appeared behind him and he was once again slammed into the hard ground on his back, and smacked the back of his skull with a clap of pain. A white hot light bloomed behind his eye lids and then he was greeted by the thick blackness of unconsciousness.

Itachi stood in front of his younger brother emotionless. Every fiber of his being wanted nothing more than to smack Sasuke on the head, make fun of him a bit, and then they would laugh and Sasuke would tell him about his week. In this mindset Sasuke was also four years younger and so much cuter. Now he just looked royally pissed off and slightly murderous. That thought made Itachi smile slightly, and his younger brother took it as a taunt and attacked without warning.

A lesser ninja would have never even seen the shuriken thrown his way, let alone notice the second one in the shadow of the first and avoid being hit by both. Forcing a small amount of chakra into his feet Itachi jumped to close the distance between his bother and himself to grab the teen by the throat and lift him slightly off the ground so that only the tips of his sandals scrapped the ground. Sasuke had little to no time to react to this as Itachi moved to shove the teen into the closest tree.

"Ah little brother have you learned nothing while I was away?"

Sasuke made a noise that if he had use of his windpipe Itachi guessed it would have been a growl, but came out as a gurgling sound that nearly made the older teen burst out laughing. Instead he forced Sasuke's back harder into the tree making the wood creak under the strain. Sasuke made a wheezing noise as he clawed at Itachi's wrist and arm for relief. Itachi saw it then as Sasuke struggled to get away from him, the truth. In a puff of smoke as his captive lost more and more oxygen his illusion broke and the teen in his grasp wasn't his brother any longer. Itachi chuckled darkly at the teen anyway.

"Naruto."

Itachi dragged the name out as the blonde glared with red tinted eyes at him. His usual blue flickering in and out as his anger and desperation for survival grew. The older teen activated his Sharingan and confronted the demon attempting to take over. Itachi found himself in Naruto's inner mind standing in front of an enormous cage the younger blonde next to him with his hand outreached to the beast held captive in his mind.

"While this would help you defeat me I wouldn't take anything this fox says seriously."

Naruto looked up at Itachi in shock and the older ninja smirked, how he loved scaring the shit out of people. In his messed up life it was one of his small pleasures to bring fear to the hearts and minds of those younger than him. And beating up Kakashi sempai, but that was a thought for a later time.

"Uchiha."

The Kyubi rumbled from his cage, chakra claws reached out to strike him and Itachi calmly stepped out of their reach.

"I think you should go back to sleep demon."

Itachi reached out and pressed the peeling seal back into place and turned to Naruto who stood there still silently shocked. Which was odd seeing as how all his memories of the kid were of nonstop chatter, and the recent updates on intel he got from Kisame seemed that he hadn't changed much personality wise in that last few years.

"And you vessel, we should get back to the real world now."

As soon as the words left his mouth they were back in the Village with Naruto's feet on the ground and the real Sasuke standing behind Itachi with a kunai to his throat. The blade was pressed hard enough against his skin that Itachi could feel a drop of blood roll down his neck.

"So the original appears. I see you had to have your teammate fight your battles for you younger brother."

Itachi kicked his leg, hitting Sasuke in the chest, and shoved Naruto through the tree at the same time. Both had enough sense to guard themselves as best they could and ended up standing a few feet away from Itachi in either direction. Itachi smiled to himself, this was going to be interesting to say the least if they planned to fight him together. Both younger teens panted for breath slightly where they stood as they each emitted a good killing intent. Itachi tilted his head to the side in an instigating motion and then he felt it. The chakra emitting from the ground below his feet, it was a nearly there feeling, but obvious enough that Itachi was still able to detect it.

"You don't really think this would be a fair fight now do you genin?"

He asked them tauntingly with a smirk sliding on to his lips.

The slight smile was returned by the blonde and raven haired genin as a pale hand shot out of the dirt below Itachi and grasped his ankle.

"No, we weren't under any illusions on the fairness of this fight Itachi."

Sasuke spit the words like venom on his tongue. His own Sharingan was already activated as he was only able to barely stop himself from attacking the older teen. It wasn't part of the plan that he jump in and try to fight him alone.

"But if you thought this was a fair fight Itachi you were mistaken."

Sakura pulled Itachi's ankle below the surface of the ground and he lifted his other leg up slamming it down on the ground above the girl. The area around them concaved as the pink haired girl had barely enough time to jump away before the rubble collapsed on her. It pissed Sasuke off that his brother had put his teammate in such danger and he charged the older ninja without thinking. His hands already forming the seals for his chidori, and just as he was about to hit Itachi with the blue lightning in his hand he was deflected. Itachi was impressed, Sasuke had learned such a complex technique but disappointed in his younger brothers lack of control. The smallest of things were able to set him off and in a land where deception was how you survived Sasuke was going to lose at this rate.

"You're too weak little brother."

He intoned in a bored voice, as he flung Sasuke into a tree, making the younger ninja hit his back on the truck of the tree and then the blonde was in front of him. Or rather two of them were, and one was holding something Itachi hoped wasn't the rasengan he felt like it was. From the enormous amount of compacted, swirling chakra in the palm of his hand there was no doubting what it was. With quick thinking his rammed the palm of his own hand into Naruto's chest and sent him in the direction of Sasuke. Itachi hadn't planned on deflecting Naruto in that direction and watched the shock and then fear that crossed the blonde haired ninja's face as he grew closer and closer to his teammate. Sasuke rolled out of the way at the last minute and the tree too the brunt of the attack.

Itachi laughed for effect.

"Perhaps I won't have to fight you at all at this rate."

He goaded when Naruto and Sasuke dragged themselves to their feet, just as Sakura attempted to punch him from behind, just as he was about to move out of the way of her chakra charged fist his body froze. He hadn't noticed it earlier with all the chakra from Naruto's rasengan still in the air but someone else had joined this party and they had succeeded on sneaking up on him. Or below him would be a better term. Looking down he saw the shadows attached to his own and glanced around until he saw Shikaku Nara a few feet away. Without being able to move Itachi was forced to take the full hit of Sakura's punch and couldn't even turn into it to avoid damage due to the jutsu he was trapped in at the moment. Even as his own chakra worked on eating away at the shadows holding him captive. Forcing the sting of the punch out of his mind Itachi kept his face neutral as the pink haired girl ran over to check on her teammates.

"Itachi Uchiha, you didn't think the Village of Konoha would leave a team of genin to battle an S-Class criminal, now did you?"

Itachi smiled at the older man.

"I know exactly what the Village of Konoha would leave to a team of genin, and fighting someone such as myself is the least of it Nara."

Shikaku laughed as he walked closer to the four of them.

"You three head to the Hokage tower, Jiraiya was on his way there with the other escapee."

"Hey old man Nara what makes you think you can take all the credit for stopping Itachi when we were the ones doing all the work."

Naruto yelled at the jounin. Sasuke shoulder bumped him to make him move and Naruto kept a look of displeasure on his face as the trio walked in the direction of the tower. As if he wanted to say more but was keeping his mouth shut because of his team mates.

Itachi turned his attention back to Shikaku.

"Jiraiya caught the other one?"

He asked. Shikaku said nothing and simply glared as he moved forward to force Itachi to do the same. The Uchiha contemplated breaking the Shadow connection jutsu but he had always been too curious for his own good. He had been hoping to confront the metal armed teen with the odd abilities he had seen in passing, once he escaped. But if the other was caught and kept in Konoha the chances of him confronting him anytime soon were slim to none. With a mental shrug Itachi complied with the jutsu's demands.

He could always escape later.


	4. Chapter 4

**Make It Bun Dem- Skrillex**

**Hop on opposed  
What people supposed  
And to we opposed  
I wouldn't supposed he**

**Killing the flows  
We're sicker than most  
We pitching the post**

**Now where'd outta most**

**Never to falter  
Never to fluff  
Never too hot  
And never your sun**

**Keep up your guard**

There was a reason Jiraiya didn't come home often. One being that he was usually lined up to help take out strong opponents when the situation called for it. Like now, as he carried the blonde teen over his shoulder to the Hokage Tower. Tsunade owed him for this, he had a chance to take on that Uchiha brat but Shikaku Nara claimed with this unknown teen running around it was wiser if he went after Itachi and Jiraiya take care of the unknown kid.

This was all Naruto's fault anyway.

Jiraiya thought bitterly as the metal arm on the teen he was carrying hit him in the back repeatedly. There was definitely going to be a bruise there later. What was up with the metal arm anyway, and if he was guessing right this kid's left leg was made of metal too.

Stupid Naruto.

He just had to over work himself to the point of needing to go to the hospital this afternoon. They were working on basic chakra control but Naruto didn't know how to do anything in moderation. That Rasengan he had learned much quicker than Jiraiya could have imagined was draining him fast and the Sanin realized it was because Naruto's chakra control still sucked horribly. As they waited for the medic nin to bring the kid a chakra supplement pill Gai came rushing in with an unconscious Kakashi and when Naruto question him he ran his mouth off about everything that had happened.

As luck would have it Sasuke and Sakura had been coming to meet Naruto at the hospital to get lunch afterwards and overheard everything. Jiraiya will never get the image of the youngest Uchiha out of his head at that moment. Sasuke's Sharingan activated and spinning in anger, and Jiraiya was sure if he looked closely enough the younger ninja's hair was moving on its own with his anger.

Before he could do anything to prevent it Kakashi's Team 7 was gone. Off in their pursuit of Itachi Uchiha, or at least Sasuke was, the white haired Sanin knew the other two were simply following their teammate out of concern.

By the time Jiraiya was going to attempt to follow them Shizune showed up with orders for him to get to Tsunade as quickly as possible. Hoping his student and his teammates didn't do anything too stupid he flash stepped over to his former teammate as ordered.

There was where he had been given orders to go after the young unknown teen who had escaped and aided in Itachi getting out as well.

Jiraiya arrived at the court yard of the Hokage Tower first and waited for the others to arrive. Team 7 were next and he had Naruto help him tie the unconscious teen's hands together and bind his ankles so he couldn't attempt to run again. All the while Naruto complained how Shikaku had stolen their glory and capture of Itachi. Jiraiya listened but kept a close eye on the obviously still seething younger Uchiha just behind Naruto. Sakura looked about ready to say something when Tsunade arrived. The woman looked to Team 7 and frowned.

"I thought Shikaku dismissed you three."

Naruto stood up, always the voice of Team 7, even when his teammates disagreed.

"He told us to catch you with the pervy old Sage after we practically took out Itachi single handedly."

He boasted. Sasuke shook his head, clenching his fist in anger as he bitterly corrected his blonde haired teammate.

"Naruto, Itachi isn't someone we could have just taken out. We got lucky. He was toying with us."

He spit the last word like it burned to admit any of that. Knowing the kids personality Jiraiya assumed it might have.

There was a groan of pain from the captured blonde on the ground that stopped Naruto from arguing with Sasuke. They all looked to the teen who was starting to wake up.

"Team 7 you are dismissed this is above your rank. Thank you for assisting us but leave, now."

Tsunade barked out her orders and for a moment the three young shinobi looked as if they would refuse. It wasn't until Sakura grabbed her male teammates by the elbows and began to steer them away that they moved.

"We are happy to help my Lady. Let us know if you need us for anything else."

She bowed slightly and continued to force the other two away from the now private meeting. Shikaku arrived with Itachi as they left, and Jiraiya thought it was all over when he saw Sasuke freeze as the older Uchiha passed him. Itachi didn't spare the younger a glance as he was forced to walk into the center of the small circle the older nin had formed. Asuma, Inoichi, Akamichi, and surprisingly Gai arrived at the same time. All lining up around the two captured teens. Blocking Itachi from Sasuke's view, and vice versa. Jiraiya turned his attention back to his waking captive as he attempted to sit up. He could feel Team 7 leaving, and wondered vaguely if they would actually get out of earshot. Shaking his head, it was Tsunade's problem now if those three did anything, he had done his part.

"The hell?"

Were the first words out of the blonde teen's mouth as he looked up to the men and Tsunade standing around him.

"Good you're awake. Take them each to interrogation. I want answers."

Tsunade ordered. Shikaku spoke up first.

"Not that I mind but can we find a better way to restrain Uchiha? I only have about enough control left to hold this another few minutes."

Tsunade looked to Jiraiya. He sighed, knowing what she wanted him to do.

"Watch him."

Jiraiya growled as he motioned to the still very confused looking teen. Perhaps he had hit his head too hard when they fought. Jiraiya would question it later, now he pulled out a scroll. Quickly activating it he stepped into Itachi's space. For a moment the younger man didn't know what to expect but then his hands were slowly being forced in front of him, his fingers woven together and then held there for Jiraiya to wrap the scroll around. After a few hand signs the seal activated and Itachi felt the immediate change in his chakra.

The scroll was wrapped around his wrist, keeping them bound together in front of him. The shadow jutsu was dropped and his chakra was stunted. It was there but there was no flow, he couldn't make his chakra move from where it had been stunted when the seal was fastened. Itachi felt like ice had just been pumped into his veins and for a terrifying second he felt his heart stop. He couldn't repress the coughing fit he had at the sudden change.

All eyes in the room were instantly on the teen and he would have rather sank into the floor than let them see him like that. Shocking his already weak heart like that, without his meds on hand was a seriously bad idea. He had already wasted quite a bit of chakra on Kakashi, and then the silver haired man's team after he escaped. Once the coughing passed he straightened and glared at the old Sage.

"Uncalled for."

He growled. His throat still felt tight and he wanted nothing more than to activate his Sharingan and show the old man the hell he had just put the teen through. When nothing happened Itachi knew his chakra was very thoroughly in check at the moment.

"Past experience begs to differ Uchiha."

Tsunade turned and waved her hand in a dismissive manner. Jiraiya grabbed the blonde escapee, and Gai moved to help restrain him in the same manner they had done to Itachi. Ed didn't feel much of anything happen when the seal was activated but his hands were well tied up making it hard for him to initiate any transmutations. Not that he didn't consider fighting them off without his hands once he realized what was happening. Seeing as how Ed was currently highly outnumbered, in a strange place/world he thought it wasn't the smartest plan he could come up with. Might as well try and convince these guys he wasn't a threat or something even after everything he just did.

If not escaping was always a plan, he mentally shrugged as he willingly walked to wherever they were leading him. What was the point in fighting right now when he still had a slight chance of convincing them of his innocence?

Wow, he thought, really should have thought of this earlier.

The interrogation rooms the two were led to were on the opposite sides of the hallway from each other. The rooms themselves were identical, a simple table, with two chairs on opposite sides of the table and a single light hanging down above the table. Ed almost snorted when he saw it, some things never change. Ed plopped himself down in the closest chair and nearly smiled when the men behind him froze.

The shinobi behind weren't expecting compliance from the teen. Not after everything he had done since getting there.

"I figure you got some questions for me."

The wicked smirk he flashed made Jiraiya laugh.

"Yeah questions."

Seeing as how he was all set in the older man motioned for Gai to keep watch while he followed Shikaku and Itachi into the other interrogation room. They forced Itachi into the seat, and stood there waiting for further instructions from Tsunade.

Said woman was headed toward the interrogation rooms. She had taken a second to clear her mind before going to question the first of her two current issues. Gai was in the room leaning against the wall next to the door as he watched the mystery blonde sit in the chair and stare at the ceiling. It looked like he was counting the tiles and Tsunade wondered if he had counted all of them yet while he had waited.

"56."

The teen spoke as Tsunade sat in the chair across from him.

"Is that supposed to mean something to me?"

She questioned as the teen turned his attention to her. His eyes were golden, a color Tsunade had only ever seen on one other person in all her years as a shinobi. It took her a moment to repress the shudder she felt creep up her spine. He tilted his head to the side like a curious dog, and seemed to be evaluating her as he sat there without answering for a moment.

"That's how many tiles are on the ceiling."

Tsunade sighed as she rested her elbows on the table between them, lacing her fingers and resting her chin on them. Just looking at the boy she couldn't tell what he was thinking which let her know two things. This person she was dealing with was used to keeping secrets, and that it was going to be hard dragging the truth out of him.

"Do you know who I am?"

She questioned seriously as she watched his face for an answer.

Ed shook his head.

"Nah, I know you're the leader here, I know you're men do what you say without question. As for name, and official title you're going to have to educate me on that."

As opposed to Tsunade who leaned forward Ed leaned back in his chair. Slouching as he waited for her reply.

"My name is Tsunade, I am the Hokage of Konoha, and yourself?"

"Edward Elric, I don't have any fancy titles to go along with it but that's my name."

Ed shrugged his shoulders as best he could with his hands bound so awkwardly.

"Where do you come from Edward Elric?"

"I'm a traveler, I come from many places. Most of them people here have never heard of."

Tsunade raised an eyebrow.

"Try me."

"Amestris."

Tsunade looked the teen dead in the eye. Truthfully she had never heard of such a place, and since she couldn't tell if he was lying or not she had little but his word to go by.

"I see. And why are you here in Konoha, Edward Elric?"

She wouldn't call him out on the probably fake place until she had more answers from him.

"I got here by accident I already told you this."

Ed responded in a bored tone.

"No one can get into the village by accident boy. You have to break a powerful jutsu to enter the village uninvited or be born here."

"Well then your program is messed up because here I am."

Tsunade rested her palms on the table.

"Unless you came with Itachi Uchiha when he bypassed the jutsu and guards."

This was an accusation, not a question and Ed felt his teeth grind.

"Itachi, the guy I nearly drowned earlier?"

He asked instead of answering the statement.

"I take that as you weren't working with him in his infiltration of the village."

"No. Like I've been saying I got here by accident. I didn't even know where I was until you guys told me, and I don't take kindly to being treated like a criminal when I've done nothing wrong."

Tsunade half laughed at that.

"I'd say taking out half my ANBU corps., and blowing a hole in my holding facility counts as enough for now Mr. Elric. But do tell me how you got here by accident then. Perhaps we can help you get back to whenever it was you were supposed to be going."

Her tone was nice, but Ed wasn't buying it. He considered telling her the truth. That he was from probably a different world, and he had traded his life so his brother could live and be whole again. Yeah, because that would be so believable. Not even he would have bought something like that.

"Look it wasn't that I was trying to get to a specific place. I had made a deal with someone and I was supposed to die, okay?"

Tsunade didn't get a chance to respond as Ed cut her off.

"They sent me here instead. I don't know how, or why but that's the truth. I can't explain it completely because you won't believe me even if I tried but I really didn't mean to be here."

Ed leaned forward, across the table, setting his face right in front of the older woman's. Gai stood up straighter as he anticipated an attack. The teen had been docile until that moment and none of them really knew how dangerous this person could be.

"I'm supposed to be dead."

Tsunade stood up. She didn't know what to make of this person's story. She had no idea what to think, it could be possible he was telling the truth, but that is a terrible truth to buy. Or he could be lying and trying to gain pity to get himself out of this situation.

"I'll have Inoichi to interrogate you since you won't give me any thing I can work with."

She turned away from Ed who wanted to growl in frustration but settled for slamming back into his chair without a word. He knew it was a slim to none chance they would have believed him anyway.

"Gai watch him until he gets here."

Gai nodded and he went back to leaning against the wall.

Tsunade wanted to call it quits at this point. If this was how the blonde teen was she dreaded questioning the Uchiha. She took only a second to recompose herself and straighten her shoulders before opening the door to said criminals holding place.

This was building up to be a long day.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: State of my Head

State of My Head – Shinedown

I'm not speakin' under my breath  
'Cause the harder you push, the rougher I get  
'Cause I'm not shakin', when the earth starts quakin'  
Got my own foundation with no hesitation and the

Oh, my eyes are seein' red  
Double vision from the blood we've shed  
The only way I'm leavin' is dead  
That's the state of my, state of my, state of my head

They don't know, where we've been  
We got that concrete street skin  
The only way I'm leavin' is dead  
That's the state of my, state of my, state of my head

Ed didn't know how long he had been in there. It must have been hours, the original, terribly dressed man who had been standing guard was replaced with one of the white painted masked men. There were no windows, and Ed was never a patient person by nature. He was starting to itch for something to do besides count tiles, or burn holes into the blank masked man's face.

The weird scroll they used to bind his hands was oddly strong. No matter how he tried he couldn't pull his hands apart. It looked and felt like paper, thick expensive paper, but paper nonetheless. For a while Ed attempted to read the strange markings on the scroll, but he had no idea what any of the symbols meant. If it was some langue he had never seen it before, which wasn't all that surprising since he was assuming this was a country he had never heard of, or a completely different world. There was no telling what Truth did when he made the deal. That white bastard pissed him off to no end.

Once he realized he had no hope of decrypting the scroll he rested his head on his bound forearms.

He was beyond bored.

Somewhere in his boredom Edward fell asleep.

_It was dark out on the road. The Chimera duo were passed out and Ed and Greeling sat around the small flame keeping first watch. They had set up camp after a day of travelling and as was standard for the four of them two sat watch while two slept. Everyone got four hours before going back the road. _

"_So break it down for me again how your skin works."_

_Ed demanded. He was trying to keep himself entertained while learning everything he could about the Homunculi's abilities. _

"_I already told you kid it isn't like Alchemy what I do. I don't have to think about any formula it just happens when I will it."_

_Ed sighed. _

"_When I fought you in your previous body I found out it was a carbon reaction you used. Isn't that what you're using now?"_

"_Sure."_

_Greeling grunted. _

"_You really have no idea do you?"_

"_None at all."_

_There was a vicious grin on his face. From the moment Ed saw that smile his world tilted. He was suddenly not sitting around the tiny cozy fire, discussing the ramifications of Greed's abilities. No Ed was falling into a dark, freezing hole, then the images started to fly by. All of them too fast to actually process. There was Al in his body. _

_Winry and children._

_Mustang above troops with Hawkeye at his side. _

_Havoc walking. _

_Scar on The Wall. _

_Teacher and Sig, old and happy together. _

_Al smiling._

_Al crying._

_Al eating. _

_Alphonse in his body, tall and happy and everything he should have grown up to be. _

_But Ed was so cold. He was happy to see Al, and everyone so happy and all safe but he was freezing. It was painful._

_It hurt just to blink._

"Al."

Inoichi walked into the interrogation room to find the blonde haired captive asleep slumped over the desk with his head on his arms as pillows. This was a child in front of him. One merely a few years older than his own. Inoichi hated interrogating the younger rouges brought around. Tsunade knew this but she must have been desperate to get answers from these two. He wasn't looking forward to facing Itachi Uchiha even in his current weakened state. But this was almost worse.

He was calling someone's name too softly for him to hear, with a pained expression of someone on the verge of dying.

Inoichi should know, he knew the look well.

Inoichi purposefully pulled the chair across from the young man out so that the legs scraped across the floor and woke the rooms other occupant.

Ed jolted awake at the sound.

He could still feel the ice in his veins from the nightmare. The near spill of tears he would have let fall if he was alone, or with Al even. Instead he put on his front, he threw on the Fullemtal that Bradley had given him when he enlisted. Leaning back in his chair with all the cockiness he could muster in his still shaken state.

"You must be reinforcement for your Hokage."

Ed smirked as he made eye contact with the older man.

"Indeed I am. But I prefer not to use my special skill set on younger people."

He gave a fake smile to counter Ed's smirk.

"Besides you're not my only patient today. I was hoping I could just ask you a few questions and you would simply comply."

Edward snorted.

"Yeah I'll comply but I doubt you'll believe my story. No one else here has so far."

He shrugged and waited expectantly for the questions to be asked.

"Your name?"

And so it begins again. Ed thought sarcastically as he shifted to get comfortable. Maybe this time one of these cronies would listen to him.

"Edward Elric. I already told this to that Tsunade woman."

"Your hair color?"

That was different.

"Blonde. Are you blind?"

Inoichi didn't even pause in his questions.

"Color of your eyes?"

That one took him a second to answer since it wasn't something he thought of often.

"Amber, yellow, goldish?"

The last color was more of a question to himself.

"How tall are you?"

"Tall enough."

Ed bit back without thinking.

"Relatives?"

"I have a brother…"

Technically Alphonse was his only relative. But Winry and Granny were too in a way, so were the Colonel and his team, but Ling and his men had started to feel that way, even Scar crossed his mind when he thought of Family.

In a way they were also his relatives. Blood relatives born in battle and forged with tears of mutual pain and loss.

"Any others?"

Inoichi asked after the teen trailed off. He sounded unsure of that answer and the look on his face said he was thinking deeply on something.

These untrusting bastards didn't need to know of his family, they didn't deserve to know who he wanted to get home to. They didn't need to know how much it hurt just now thinking of all of them so soon after that particular dream.

"No. I have a brother but I don't know if he is alive or dead right now. That's why I need to get out of here and find him. He's all I have left."

His eyes turned as hard as his automail and Inoichi knew he would stay with this topic to get the answers he desired.

"And your brother's name?"

"Al."

Full name?"

"Alphonse Elric. He's my younger brother."

"How much younger?"

Ed was getting annoyed. He didn't want to talk about Al, he didn't want to think about him right now. It was painful and he wanted answers he had no way of getting without figuring out how to get enough juice to transmute and contact Truth again. Or figure out where the hell he really was.

"A year. He's one year younger than me. Can we move on now?"

"I ask the questions. What of your parents?"

"Dead."

Ed said flatly. There was a wall there Inoichi wanted to beat down to see the core of this answer, but he knew there were more pressing matters to be dealt with.

"And where were you born?"

Ed shrugged.

"I was too young to remember."

It was a lie. Inoichi knew it and this is what the kid was really hiding.

"That is the first lie you have told me."

Ed growled.

"I'm sure you've never heard of the place seeing as how your leader hadn't."

"Where were you born?"

Inoichi asked once more his tone leaving no room for argument.

"The small town of Resembool, in the country of Amestris."

The shinobi gave no sign that he did or not recognize the place. It made Ed wonder if perhaps he wasn't as far from home as he assumed. For all he knew he was somewhere in Xing right now and all he had to do was call Ling and get the hell out of here.

"How old are you?"

"16."

"So your brother would be 15."

"Yes. Was that really a question?"

Inoichi knew he would come back to the topic of this boy's brother but for now decided to change his tune.

"And what of friends, comrades, any known associates?"

Ed didn't hesitate at all when he answered since he had already made up his mind about the other people in his life during this conversation.

"None."

It hurt to say, and Ed had a feeling the other guy could tell it was a lie but he wasn't going to name anyone but his brother in this place. If they could find Al great, all would be peachy. But if they turned out to be hostiles and he listed off everyone and got them involved in their mess again he wouldn't be able to forgive himself. He wouldn't be able to face them with a smile if he dragged everyone he cared about down with Al and himself again.

"I don't appreciate your lies and lying will only make this process longer and more difficult."

Ed glared. His whole being burning with anger he was never any good at controlling.

"Fuck off. The people I know are the people I know and their secrets are more important to me than my own life so do what you like I won't name any names."

The fire in his eyes would have frozen Inoichi on the battle field.

"So you are a soldier."

Inoichi stood up and sighed. If he was dealing with some sort of trained combatant, then it appeared he would have to resort to messier methods. Without saying anything Inoichi decided to get on with it. He entered the young man's mind and followed the memories into his head. Inoichi just needed to know if he was a threat or not. He would probe and probably damage this young person's mind but he seemed strong so he had hopes of this kid being mostly fine.

While he had little worry for the victim of his interrogation methods the memories he was accessing were beyond his understanding.

There was something very wrong with what he was seeing.

Ed screamed as the man seemed to pull his mind apart. He hadn't been expecting that, it was like this man stuck his hands through his skull into his brain and pulled out all of his memories to look at. Ed could feel him flipping through every memory, every feeling, name, too much for even himself to handle.

His screaming and pain seemed to be all that made him, it was everything about him. Before he knew it Edward was blacking out and the reel of memories came to a sudden crashing halt.

"Bring a medic, and inform the Hokage that I have crucial information to relay to her. Now!"

Inoichi barked the orders to the ANBU stationed in the room. The masked shinobi moved to carry out his orders and Inoichi let himself shake with fear for a moment. What he had learned, what he had saw it was beyond his complete understanding. This child was something, someone who shouldn't be. Either the teen was crazy and delusional and nothing in his head was real. Or it was all real and that meant, it meant… he wasn't sure but it wasn't normal. And it sure as hell didn't seem safe for anyone.


	6. Chapter 6

I never knew how much people liked this until I started re-updating it. It seems like all the people that read the original and some new readers have come out of the wood works. Thank you and I hope it lives up to everyone's, or at least mostly everyone's expectations.

Here is the newest chapter so enjoy.

Chapter 6: Unknown Soldier

Breaking Benjamin – Unknown Soldier

Full of fear,  
Ever clear.  
I'll be here,  
Fighting forever.  
Curious,  
Venomous,  
You'll find me  
Climbing to heaven.  
Never mind,  
Turn back time.  
You'll be fine - I will get left behind.

Tsunade sat at her desk, her head pounding with a headache made worse by the information she had just been given. And now Itachi Uchiha, that brat wants to speak to her. He demanded it, demanded to speak with her! As if he had any right.

Inoichi had barely stepped foot into the interrogation room when the S – Class started.

"Inoichi Yamanaka I didn't expect the newest Hokage to pull all the stops on getting answers from me."

His tone was nonchalant as he lounged in his chair. Unlike the other prisoner his hair seemed to still be held back perfectly somehow, he was also completely awake and seemed to not have a care in the world.

"You're our top priority right now Uchiha. You've gone many years working for outsiders and you murdered dozens of people before leaving with classified information of the Leaf."

Itachi chuckled darkly.

"Yes your precious information should greatly outweigh the lives I took the night I left."

Unlike when he talked to the blonde Inoichi didn't sit with Itachi. Just being in the same room as the mass murderer of the Uchiha Clan gave him chills.

"What about the other you brought in with me? The blonde who seemed to take out your ANBU forces as easily as myself. Should he not be high on that priority list of yours?"

Inoichi tried not to sigh like the old man he suddenly realized he was.

"I ask the questions."

He grumbled instead as he squared his shoulders and got ready to start.

"Now that you mention it Inoichi."

Itachi sat up straight in his chair, his black eyes leveling evenly with Inoichi's as he spoke his next words.

"I'll be more than happy to help you, as soon I speak with Tsunade herself."

After that it all went downhill relatively fast. Itachi's mind, even without his chakra was something unbreakable for Inoichi, it was iron clad.

The only real thing Inoichi got out of forcing his way into Itachi's head was that he seemed to have a serious brother obsession. It was all tiny Sasuke's, and moody teenage versions of the younger Uchiha. Truthfully it was creepy and Inoichi didn't want to think about how Itachi was keeping him out with these images.

That and after dealing with the mysterious boy Inoichi was weakened and still truthfully shaken up. He had yet to inform Tsunade of the things he had discovered while she dealt with the clean up after the two escapees recapture. Edward Elric, as he claimed to be was dangerous for sure, but proof that he was an enemy was yet to be shown. So far he was fairly cooperative.

Tsunade stormed down the hall to Itachi's holding room. Once again he was sitting in his interrogation chair as if he held all the cards, and Tsunade wanted nothing more than to knock the little punk ass on his ass. For a moment Tsunade wondered if it was too late to tell the others she didn't want to be the Hokage after all. She had been much happier drinking and gambling her days away with Shizune. Stupid Naruto and Jiraiya for dragging her back to all of this craziness.

"Well what do you want brat?"

She snapped at the young criminal as the door slammed closed behind her. He simply smiled cockily, making her blood burn as she took the seat Inoichi refused to take earlier.

"I was hoping to make a trade with you current Hokage. I have informants that tell me you're fairly new to this whole arrangement."

She snorted.

"If you assume that means I'm less qualified or skilled in having this post I would love to prove you wrong Uchiha."

Itachi looked her dead in the eye with all the seriousness of a life or death moment. Tsunade had to wonder if his Sharingan would be active if he was able to use his chakra.

"I thought no such thing. I just assumed that means you haven't been updated as to my true nature Lord Hokage."

"That being?"

As much as she hated it if this is what Itachi wanted to talk about so he would cooperate she would listen for now.

"I am on a mission for the Leaf."

Tsunade was about to jump up and question the teen but his eyes kept her pinned to her seat.

"Just listen. I'll tell you everything and you can ask me whatever you like when I finish."

She didn't take kindly to being ordered around, it was kind of her job now to do that. Order people around at least she could do that, right? But she listened, his face and tone too serious to question at the moment. For all Tsunade knew Itachi was about to spew a ton of crap and this would have been a waste of her time.

Itachi told her everything though.

And with mounting disgust, shock, and then anger at her own people Tsunade left the room. She said nothing, asked nothing, just left. Tsunade had to get the Elders together, but she wasn't about to confront them alone with this kind of information. She would need some kind of back-up. Tsunade didn't even know who she could trust at this point. Was Itachi lying, or has the Village been really treating their people like this. Shinobi were tools, there was no doubting that. But this, this was inane this was almost too much to even process.

How could this be the legacy she had inherited with the title of Hokage?

Tsunade took a moment at the end of the hall, away from her men, away from Itachi and the new fugitive in holding who also came with a confusing situation. The woman simply wanted to breath but nothing in her life these days were that easy.

Because the door across the hall from Itachi exploded.

Ed woke up in pain pulsing from his head. Those bastards had taken information straight from his head. He knew this was a different, weird place, but that was insane. How was it even possible? Shit, he wanted answers bad, but he wasn't going to get anything being held captive like this. Think, think, think what could he do to get out of this predicament?

Then Edward realized he was tapping his fingers together as he thought. The binding on his hands gave him just enough wiggle room to move each of his fingers, palms, and even a tiny gap in his wrist even if he couldn't remove his hands apart completely. The table he was sitting at and the chair was metal, and he wasn't tied to the chair he sat in. The only variable he would have to get past was the masked man stationed at the door. From earlier Ed knew for a fact these people used some kind of elemental abilities similar to alchemy. He also knew that they used various weapons, similar to the kinds Ling and his men did when they first met. These people were also incredibly fast, nearly as fast as the Homunculi and their hand to hand was definitely some of the strongest he had encountered. Ed had spent weeks before the Promised Day training with Greed to be up to par with those monsters. It had paid off in the end fight with Father but after that fight, being torn apart from the Truth and then beat up more than once after arriving here.

Ed was a little run down. He was dead tired, in pain, confused, and so freaking hungry he could out eat Ling. As if to remind him, Ed's stomach growled painfully. Damn he was hungry. Ed grumbled to himself as he tried to think of ways to transmute without drawing attention from his ever present guard. He let his head drop so Ed's chin rested on his chest and then he saw them. The legs of the chair he sat on wasn't bolted to the floor. How had this slipped his mind? Edward was the one who moved the chair to sit in it. If he moved fast enough he would be able to get away with it.

Ed sat back up and leaned in his chair like he had been for most of his time in this room. Then quick as he could Edward pushed off the ground with his feet and used the momentum to flip the chair and himself over. In the flip he slammed his hands together then used his pinkies and the side of his palms to press them against the ground as he landed.

He took a few pages from Scar's book and destroyed the ground he touched and the door he was aiming for. The explosion was enough to knock his guard off their feet, and since Ed's legs weren't bound he was able to get them under himself and dart out of the isolated room.


End file.
